The Gardens of the Real Alcázar: What Not to Miss

The gardens of the Real Alcázar are as much a reason to visit as the palaces. They are included in the general ticket (€15.50), cover a large part of the site, and are best seen early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the light is soft and the heat is low.

What not to miss

• The Mercury Pool (Estanque de Mercurio). A large raised pool with a bronze Mercury at its centre, just below the palace. The Alcázar has been restoring it; check the official site for its current state.
• The Grotesque Gallery (Galería del Grutesco). A long rustic gallery along an old wall, with views over the gardens from above.
• The Baths of Doña María de Padilla. A vaulted underground pool below the Patio del Crucero, and one of the most photographed places in the Alcázar.
• The maze. A hedge labyrinth that children love. See visiting with children.
• Orange trees and palms everywhere. Keep an eye out for peacocks, which visitors often spot on the paths.

How to see them

1. Visit the palaces first, while the gardens are still cool and quiet.
2. Allow at least an hour outside. Most visitors underestimate it.
3. Summer: bring water and a hat; there is shade, but not everywhere.

Concerts in the gardens

In summer the Alcázar hosts evening concerts, Noches en los Jardines del Real Alcázar, for €7.00. Programme and tickets are on the official concerts page.

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